About:

The earliest members of the New England Hindu Temple first started gathering on a weekly basis in 1978 in the Knights of Columbus Hall in Melrose, and then at the Needham Village Club. It was at this time that a temple dedicated to Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity, was envisioned and plans to buy land and build a temple got underway. Each member donated $101, an auspicious amount, to the temple project. In 1981, the temple committee purchased twelve acres of wooded land in Ashland. Once the land had been excavated in 1984, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at this site and a Ganesa pooja (worship service) was performed. Construction proceeded according to the ritual instructions of Agamas, Hindu texts that codify temple worship. In 1986, a grand-opening ceremony was held. It was at this time that the temple received the appropriate permits to hold formal worship.